Mums in breastfeed protest outside Sports Direct in Ealing

MOTHERS and children gathered outside a sports shop at Ealing Broadway in support of a woman expelled for breastfeeding.

Campaigners assembled outside Sports Direct following reports that a woman was asked to leave a Nottingham branch whilst breastfeeding her three-months-old baby.

Twelve women and children spent two hours outside of the store talking to passers-by and raising awareness, before delivering a solidarity pompom to the duty manager and explaining the reasons for their protest.

Demo organiser Natasha Read said: "We wanted to show our support to the lady asked to leave Sports Direct and to show we do not find such discrimination acceptable."

Natasha, a mother of one, added: "We support the legal rights of breastfeeding women and hope to raise awareness of the Equality Act 2010, so that mothers everywhere will feel more comfortable feeding their babies in public."

Police were called by the duty manager after a campaigner asked him to delete a photograph he had taken of the protesters to send to the store manager. No arrests were made.

The protest was one of 40 demos held outside Sports Direct stores across the country that day.

Natasha Read, who lives in Brentford, added: “It would be nice to think there would be no need for future demonstrations, but I would be happy to organise similar events locally if other places are reported to discriminate against breastfeeding women.”